Defence Secretary unveils fast-track cyber recruitment plan to counter Russian threat

Gamers and tech experts can play key role in modern defence

John Healey promises to “remove unneccessary barriers” to military recruitment

Defence Secretary John Healey has unveiled a plan to fast-track tech-savvy recruits, including gamers and cyber experts, into the UK's military cyber forces to boost the country's defences against the rising threat from Russia.

The new "cyber track" recruitment scheme, which will be formally introduced during Healey's speech at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool today, aims to remove bottlenecks and cut through red tape to swiftly integrate specialised talent into the UK's defence strategy.

It comes amid increasing cyberattacks from Russian actors, who have attempted to breach Britain's core defence systems an estimated 90,000 times over the last two years, according to The Sun on Sunday.

Last year, the UK government accused Russia's intelligence services of attempting to interfere in UK politics and democratic processes through a sustained cyber-espionage campaign. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) attributed the activities to the group known as Star Blizzard, asserting its likely affiliation with Centre 18 of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB).

In June, Ciaran Martin, former chief executive of the NCSC, said Russian hackers were responsible for a ransomware attack that hit major hospitals in London, disrupting vital services and causing distress for patients. Martin identified the attackers as the "Qilin" group, known to operate freely from within Russia.

These threats, coupled with the evolving nature of modern warfare, have pushed the UK government to prioritise cyber expertise within the military.

The Defence Secretary offered insight into his cyber recruitment vision during an interview with The Sun on Sunday, where he highlighted the key role gamers and tech experts can play in modern defence.

"As the world changes, and threats evolve, we also need to ensure our recruitment is right for the 21st century. That's why we will remove unnecessary barriers and fast-track bright candidates into cyber defence to help face down [Vladimir] Putin's online aggression," he said.

"If you are good at tech, if you have a passion for cyber, if you're good at gaming, then you may have the skills that the British military needs."

In addition to improving recruitment, Healey's reforms have also included the scrapping or updating of more than 100 outdated recruitment policies since Labour took office in July.

These policies, which previously barred individuals with common conditions such as hay fever, eczema and acne, as well as those with fully healed injuries, have now been revised to ensure qualified candidates are not unnecessarily excluded.

Healey detailed various measures to speed up military recruitment, including making conditional offers within 10 days and confirming training start dates within 30 days.

The announcement comes alongside what he described as the "largest pay rise in 20 years" for current armed forces personnel.

"We are deeply proud of those who serve our country and we are determined to tackle the crisis in recruitment and retention caused by years of Conservative hollowing-out," Healey said.

"Our Armed Forces rightly set the highest standards and with Labour that will continue."